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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4980, 9 March 1877, Page 4

In a leader in yesterday’s! issue we repeated a statement, having its origin in Napier,,to the effect that Captain Russell, M.H.R., now in England, would probably resign. his , seat. We are glad to learn that the Napier information is wholly incorrect, and that Captain Russell will be out from Home in time for next session of Parliament.- > . We understand that Messrs. Bethune and Hunter effected a sale yesterday of the property known as Howe’s farm, containing twenty acres of freehold land, ' Mr. Alexander Wilson, who is already the owner of a number of valuable allotments of land in the same locality, was the fortunate purchaser. We have not been able to learn the exact amount given for the block, but believe it was not far under £SOOO, that being the figure at which the property has been offering in the market for some time past. Mr. Crawford gave judgments for the plaintiffs for the amounts claimed, with costs, in the following cases at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday :— Hargetts v. Wilkinson—claim £64 Is. lid.; Dransfield v. Ledbury—claim £26 Bs. 6d.; Dawson v. McLeod—claim £47 14s. 7d. ; Luxford v. McKeever —claim £2 7s. 10d.; Squires v. Parkinson and Cox — claim £6. There were several other cases, but they were either adjourned, confessed, or settled out of Court, Appeals against the valuation of city pro-, perty will be heard on Tuesday next, at the Court House, Wellington.

The Lydia Howarde Troupe will appear in the Nelson Odd Fellows’ Hall on Monday next.

A lodge under the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows is about to be started at Masterton.

A cricket match will be played on, the Basin Reserve to-morrow between the Rising Star Club and the Hutt cricketers..

By the kind invitation of Mr. O’Brien, the agent for the Chicago Minstrels, about eighteen patients from the Mount View Asylum,- under the charge of Air. Ingwersen, visited the Odd Fellows' Hall last evening, and appeared highly delighted with the entertainment.; The Hon. W. B, Rhodes, M.L.C., has announced his intention of giving a special prize of £5 at the next show of the Hutt Agricultural and Pastoral Association. G. Hunter, Esq., M.H.R;, we have reason to believe, intends to give a prize of £lO for the best milking cow exhibited at the same show. 1 The police force will sustain a loss by the resignation of Constable McWilliams, who has been appointed to a wardehship in - the gaol. He is an efficient officer, and has always been distinguished by a kind and obliging manner, whilst faithfully discharging the duties of his situation.

The members of the Choral Society, vocal and instrumental, attended practice at Air. Hunter’s rooms last night. The rehearsal was for the performance of Sir Alichael Costa’s oratorio “ Naaman,” which, from the progress which it is evident is being made, will soon give the public an opportunity of hearing, this great work. An athletic meeting in connection with the Hibernian Benefit and. Catholic Young Men’s Society, will be held on the Basin Reserve on Saturday (17th irist.) A good programme has been arranged, and the prizes to be given to the successful competitors are, as will be seen, liberal in amount. There will no doubt be a good attendance on the ground, providing of course that the weather proves favorable. • In a letter received by a .'Good Templar from the Hori. Mr. Fox (says the Herald) it is stated that" the public address to his constituents will be delivered by, the' lately-elected member for Wanganui as soon as the repairs now being executed in the Odd Fellows’ Hall are finished. ' On the evening following his address Mr. Fox will deliver a lecture on tempierance, on which occasion the Rev. Mr. Bavin has promised to occupy the chair.. ,It has been, arranged to hold a number of swimming matches at the Thorndon Baths on, St. Patrick’s Day. , , From .the programme,’ which 'appears in another column, it will be seen that the : principal event is a handicap, for which prizes of tire value of £lO will be given. In this race Air. Luke, the champion, will start at scratch ; and it may be expected that he will have a large number of opponents, for several of the best swimmers here are in training. Five events have been allotted to boys of various ages. Novelties in the sports will be prizes for running headers, and for swimming and floating with the arms and legs tied.

Last evening the annual meeting of the Royal Arch Chapter, No. 617, E.C.,, was held at the Masonic Hall, Bouloott-street. There Was a large attendance of, Companions, and a considerable’amount of business was transacted ; various officers were, installed in their' several offices, and the Chapter closed, at ~9.15. The Companions then adjourned to the Occidental Hotel, where a sumptuous banquet was’ pit)/’, yided for the occasion by Host Coker. Ample ; justice haying been done to the good spread, the usual loyal, patriotic, and fraternal toasts were proposed, and responded to in the most hearty manner, arid the company separated at half-past 12 o’clock. . - There were only two cases ,on the, criminal sheet at the Resident, Magistrate’s Court yesterday (before J,;C; Crawford, Esq.,R.M.). A man named Thomas Irvine-wae.brought up on remand on suspicion of lunacy,.and again remanded for ,a week. • The other-case was one of alleged assault; the parties being Christo-, pher Goodman against Daniel McDonald. It appeared, from complainant Goodman’s story that defendant came to the place at which he was working in Elizabeth-street, and : demanded from him a half-crown, and when he was refused took up a shovel, which he expressed his intention of carrying off in satisfaction of the small debt. Complainant told him to put down the shovel, and at the same time caught hold of it himself, whereupon defendant slapped him in the face. This was complainant’s story, which differed widely from that of defendant, who stated, and his assertion was corroborated by two witnesses, that the’assault had been the other way, and that Goodman had assaulted him by striking him on the nose, and endeavoring to throttle him. His Worship delivered a lecture to defendant on the impropriety of his conduct in intruding on complainant’s ground, and pointed out that He had no right to take away a man’s property, even though the man might be indebted to him. He was bound over to keep the peace for six months.

Yesterday morning the weather being beautifully fine the children attending the three Anglican Sunday-schools of the city assembled on the Queen’s wharf to take a trip round the harbor in the mission vessel Southern Cross, at the. invitation of the Bishop of Melanesia. The children, who were under the charge, of - the clergy and their respective teachers, were delayed on the wharf for some time, consequent upon the vessel having to get up steam ini her auxiliary’engine before she could get alongside, as there was not'a breath of w ind to enable her to sail there. ' Shortly after eleven o’clock, however, she left the wharf with about 270’ children, and steamed down the' bay. : Sail was also set, arid then the vessel cruised about, the | children in the meantime being supplied with buns, lemonade, &o. ! During the excursion the Rev. T. Porritt, as superiritenderif; of St. Peter’s Sunday-school, presented a bandsome writing-desk to the Bishop for Simon Sarawea, a boy maintained at theAlelanesian mission school at the expense of St. Peter’s’ Sunday-' school children and teachers,’‘ and who ‘also’ bought the'desk by special subscriptions.' The vessel returned to the wharf at 3 ’p.m.-,

after’a most enjoyable trip. . 0 ‘ : - A , very interesting programme’ was performed at the Theatre Royal last evening to a fair house. “ Oiir Nelly,” the first ■ piece on the bill, was played/by ( the saure company on a former occasion, ‘ and, received favorable notice from the Press. It is unnecessary therefore to say more, of if here than that those engaged in its representation did their best to • make .it a success, in which they unquestionably succeeded. “Our Nelly” was follpwed by “ The Professor,” a capital farce, in which Mr. and Mrs. Hall appeared/ We would draw particular attention t 5 the fact that Mr. Hall takes his farewell benefit this evening, when “ The Main Chance,” a comedy in two acts, , and the , farce of “ The Professor” will be. produced. In, the/former piece Air. Hall will play the, part of Mr. Egpiriet. Tomorrow night he will appear iri one of his heist impersonations, namely, that of Salem Scudder in the “Octoroon.” Always a pleasing actor and a brilliant comedian, Mr. Hall is acknowledged to have few equals in this part, arid if he is Well supported the performance should prove, a treat.

. The Wanganui Chronicle speaks 'favorably of the , action taken by the Wellington Education Board, in dealing with the debateable questions contained in the personal grievances which were the outcome of the Inspector’s report. It says There seems to, have been no disunion amongst the members, no feeling of partiality either, on behalf of the Inspector or of individual teachers; each and all being bent upon meting out equal justice to all whose cases were brought under their notice. The trouble and disorganisation which for a moment threatened have passed away, and the outcome of the inquiry is likely to be beneficial to all concerned. The Inspector will doubtless recognise in future the desirability of softening his censure, except in cases where. milder reproof has proved unavailing; while the teachers, having been considerately allowed by "the Board an opportunity of retrieving their position, the capable and sensible among them will probably take due advantage of it. In nearly all the cases that came under, the notice of the Board, the Inspector seemed to be master of the situation.”

The Chicago Minstrels had another crowded house last night, and were as usual well received. Mr. D. Arlington received a hearty encore in the first part for his comic song, “ Keep it a Secret.” The triple medley dance by the brothers Arlington and C. Wallace was ■ creditably executed, and well deserved the applause it brought forth, as also did the double song and dance by the first-named, which was encored. Mr, Cary was loudly applauded for * his! rendering of a descriptive song, entitled - ’ the “ Tramp of the Fire Brigade,” dedicated to the Volunteer Fire Brigrdes of New Zealand. The words are by Mr. T. Bracken, and the music by Mr. Alarcus Hume. ,The entertainment concluded with the comic farce .‘‘Les Miserables,” which sent- the audience home in great good humor. The- same programme-will be repeated this evening. To-morrow ‘evening- there will be an entire change of programme. ■■ ■ • -- , ,T[.

The' changes which haVe lately taken place at the mouth, of the Wanganui River are regarded naturally as being very serious. The Chronicle explains the’position to be-this:-“The hew channel Ss- daily - widening and deepening, and a point or spit is being rapidly thrown out into the river,- which will have the effect of hourly-increasing the volume of water now taking this shorter route -to the ocean. The question arises, 1 in 1 , view of the possible future, which channel should be kept open for navigation? It stands: to - reason' that if no steps are taken,' the whole of the-South Spit will before long form the shallow, unnavigable outlet, or rather series of outlets, to our river. This means neither more nor less than ruin—absolute and - irretrievable ruiri—wherein our port is concerned. Alter carefully viewing thequestion from every practical standpoint, to us no other course seems open,but to take immediate : steps to' check the - tendency of thetide ‘ and river current towards this new oharinel.”' 1 ......

’ So far as the ‘Vfairarapa Newa can-ascertain, no official’ intiipation of the route decided'/ upon through the valley has been made. The ■’ Engineer-in -Chief, Asaistant-Engineer-in-Chief and staff, went over' and inspected the ground a week or- ten days ago, but as yet their de- ' cieion has not, been made public. The Nevis has information on the point however, which; / although-not official,' can .be relied upon ns ■ being in the main correct.-' Leaving. Featherston, the line will follow the western contour of the valley, passing the "vicinity of Greytown at a point rather'-more than two miles distant from that township. This, we are told, is the closest point at which it can be made to touch Greytown with any degree of safety to the line and fairness to the country !as respects cost of construction.’ To take it on the; eastern side of the township, as has been suggested, would involve an enormous amount for bridging, without securing anything which could be called, according to the most liberal interpretation of the phrase, ’corresponding advantage. From thence it wilkproceed towards Carterton, passing that township at Hooker’s line, -as originally intended’. Proceeding on towards’Masterton,’it will- be carried right on to the township at a point not yet named,- blit ■ which/if is clearly understood, will be central to all parts of Al’asterton. With respect to the continuation of the line towards the FortyMile Bush, en route for Napier, &c.,when that work is .undertaken, the line will branch off at a’ given’ fioinf,- about three /miles from Masterton, so that-when’ the through system to Hawke's Bay J and ■ the ■ -West Coast comes intp operation,’ the Masterton terminus ■ will be i situated- at' the end of a branch line, about three miles distant from what'will then become the main or through-line."--’ ■ : During the hearing of a case in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Milton, lately, it transpired (says the Bruce Herald) that Mr. George Capstick, clerk to the Tokomairire Road Board, had been instructed to remove a fence that had been placed across a certain road in the' 1 AkatqrW district. “ Did' yon remove the ,obstruction asked the plaintiff. “No,” replied Air. George Capstick. “ What were your reasons asked the. plaintiff. “Five men with tomahawks, arid another man with a three-pronged thing used for thinning turnips,” responded the witness. ’ Mr. Capstick subsequently agreed 'to remove the fence, if any other gentleman would undertake to do the fighting, but'His'offer was not taken up. - Mr. Fox, at tihe request of . the .Good Templars and Beehabites of Sandon, lectured on Intemperance and its Remedies'! last Friday evening at the school-house there. There was a good audience, and, we learn from the 'Wan- . gan'ui Herald that Mr. Fox .began by to a Wellington editor, who: was pleased to say that he (Mr. Fox) seemed, to have-got gleams of common sense, and had ceased to thrust his temperance talk down everybody’s throat. He could assure the editor , that he had not-yet heard the last of, his temperance; talk. Ah .long as intemperance continued he would lift up his voice against it. Some of these editorial publicans’ advocates seemed to .think that if there was a heaven on, earth it was the publicans’ bar-parlor, and that the noblest sentiment a man could utter -was, “We won’t go home till morning, till daylight dotjh appear.” : No.. wonder temperance talk was so distasteful to. such persons. Felix humbled when Paul talked of temperance,.and though he had no pretentions to liken himself to Paul, he thought these gentlemen were, very, like Felix—they'shook in their’shoes when any one' assailed strong ..drink,, _or made unpleasant remarks 1 about the , publican.Mr, Fox then - proceeded to inquire who was res ■sponsible for the drunkenness of the period ; and he charged it,to the importer, ; tne brewer, arid the publican;, He said, it/was, common to talk of; the'; evils'; of strong idririk;- but .strong dririk never did any harm to man,,woman, or child, so long; as it. was kept under lock and 1 key in a dark cellar. ; . /It.was not until a man appeared at the . back of /it, put in the spigot .and the tap,,poured it into a glass, and invited . another man to drink, that it did harm. The way to stop drunkenness wasi to put, down the men who sold .strong, drink,’ and "close - the houses where they- sold it- ...The speaker then -answered numerous .objections to the.Permis- , sive Bill, and explained its proyisiqVs, iwhich . very;few who opposed ifinew ranythingiabout. He concluded by accqunt of the,.satisfactory in Maine, find Vermont,'where he]hiid,pereoiially examined into the,question.;,,,, ~.. Says the Timiru Heralds “A man .whose age is about twenty-six years ;was found strangled at th’e Hinds railway-station yesterday mocning, his head being auspended from a place behind the about .three feet- from the ground. His swag Was found not; far from him ransacked. The guard of the early ’ train when he-reached N orth Bangitata station, telegraphed the particulars /of. the finding of the body,to Sergeant Fulton of the Ashburton- Police-station. From enquiries made - when the train reached ; Timarii,/ we. learned that - the man had not, been identified... up to a late hour in the day. Whether the mail ■ coriimitted suicide,. or whether he was murdered, is riot known.” ’■ n / ' The following 1 notice/ (says the Auckland Slav) has been duly'posted up at the Waiuku Post Office ;—‘“Airs. Crispe, the public vac-, cinator, will attend at the undermeritioned places to vaccinate arid to inspect the progress of vaccination,’ &c. The time-table followed the above, showing the day and date on which ■ Waiuku, Patuinahoe, and' Pollock .children• will be dealt with according to law. GnTues- ■ day this talented lady made her first appearance in public as a substitute'for the late Dr. Drake. Mrs. Crispe is said to be eminently qualified for the purpose, and has long enjoyed great popularity iri the immediate neighborhood of her home at the Mauku. It is also pleasing ’, to hear that the ladies greatly prefer her style to that of Dr. Drake. Mrs. Crispe rode from the Alauku on her handsome grey horse, and as per announcement took up her station at the Courthouse. The first day’s operations, -as-- 1 , far as we have learned, has given full satisfaction; The lady’s kindly manner is said to have quite a mesmeric influence ■ over young and turbulent John Bulls, who would have thought little of pulling Dr. Drake’s nose if he came near them on such an errand, but under Mrs. Crispe’s gentle treatment subside into good behavior, and stick out their little arms to be done. Considerable discussion is taking place at the settlement on the correctness of Government styling Mrs. Crispe a ‘ vaccinator.’ Opinion tuns high as to whether it should b«

yaccinatre.su, or vaccintrix. A wag says that when she operates on a girl, she is a vaccinateher, when a boy is the subject she is a vac-cinatc-him.” Mr. N. J. Isaacs will sell a large-lot of sundries this morning at 11 o’clock to close consignments. Every hne: is • for positive sale, so this should bo a good chancy for grocers to secure bargains. .. Messrs. Beauchamp, Campbell, and-Co.’s sale of damaged goods,, ex Himalaya, takes place rto-aay. The fencing wire and standards will, bo sojd at the wbarf-'at 11 o’clock n.m., and the electro-plated ware, boopiron, o{c., at their rdoms at 11.S0; ' ’